Disco 2 Rear Diff Swap questions

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Si Click

Si Click

Well-Known Member
Posts
1,506
Location
Lincolnshire
This weekend I will swap out my rather clunky rear diff for one without the backlash.
The procedure seems straightforward - barring rounded bolts etc, but I do have a few questions for those that have done it before.
I will be using Hylomar 101 to seal the diff, but what technique do people use? I have heard arguments for torquing the bolts straightaway and another for leaving them hand tight for an hour before torquing down.
Silicone usually requires 24 hrs to fully cure, so how long should I wait before filling with oil and how long before driving?
The RAVE repair description just requires replacement of the O rings in the hubs, but others talk about using sealant on the axles themselves. I assume this is a bead on the splines themselves. Does this not make them difficult to remove in the future?
 
Si Click said:
This weekend I will swap out my rather clunky rear diff for one without the backlash.
The procedure seems straightforward - barring rounded bolts etc, but I do have a few questions for those that have done it before.
I will be using Hylomar 101 to seal the diff, but what technique do people use? I have heard arguments for torquing the bolts straightaway and another for leaving them hand tight for an hour before torquing down.
Silicone usually requires 24 hrs to fully cure, so how long should I wait before filling with oil and how long before driving?
The RAVE repair description just requires replacement of the O rings in the hubs, but others talk about using sealant on the axles themselves. I assume this is a bead on the splines themselves. Does this not make them difficult to remove in the future?
Click to expand...
clean mating surfaces with brake clean or similar,use some silicone sealant tighten bolts fill with oil,drive car,doesnt hurt to add silicone to hub o rings belt and braces ,no need to faff about
 
Hmmm. Not a successful day as we could not get either hub nut off.
Even a 5' length of scaffolding over the breaker bar had no effect. We came to the conclusion that if we continued we would either round off the nut as the 32mm 1/2" impact socket was not an ideal fit, or the 1/2" breaker bar was going to snap.
I have a 3/4" breaker bar, but will need a decent socket - any recommendations?

If that doesn't work I guess I either fabricate a special tool - posh name for a length of box section with a 3/4" extension welded through it, or I take it to a professional.
 
Si Click said:
Hmmm. Not a successful day as we could not get either hub nut off.
Even a 5' length of scaffolding over the breaker bar had no effect. We came to the conclusion that if we continued we would either round off the nut as the 32mm 1/2" impact socket was not an ideal fit, or the 1/2" breaker bar was going to snap.
I have a 3/4" breaker bar, but will need a decent socket - any recommendations?

If that doesn't work I guess I either fabricate a special tool - posh name for a length of box section with a 3/4" extension welded through it, or I take it to a professional.
Click to expand...

Ae you using 6 sided 32mm impact sockets? include a big 3/4 breaker bar ?

Cheers
 
neilly said:
Ae you using 6 sided 32mm impact sockets? include a big 3/4 breaker bar ?

Cheers
Click to expand...

6 sided impact socket, but only 1/2" drive. I'm looking at 3/4" drive sockets on Amazon right now. US Pro 12 piece for £44 looks reasonable.

neilly said:
Oh also, use an axle stand to lay the extension on, so you can apply the full torque to it.

Cheers
Click to expand...

As there were two of us we took turns pushing it on with a cunningly placed foot, while the other put their weight onto the bar, but that sounds like a good plan.
 
Si Click said:
6 sided impact socket, but only 1/2" drive. I'm looking at 3/4" drive sockets on Amazon right now. US Pro 12 piece for £44 looks reasonable.



As there were two of us we took turns pushing it on with a cunningly placed foot, while the other put their weight onto the bar, but that sounds like a good plan.
Click to expand...

You can buy individual sockets .Once you have a 3/4 socket and a decent bar, how are you going to tighten it back up again?

Cheers
 
neilly said:
You can buy individual sockets .Once you have a 3/4 socket and a decent bar, how are you going to tighten it back up again?
Click to expand...

My 1/2" torque wrench won't go anywhere near the 360 ft ibs required. I was planning on just tightening as much as possible, staking it, marking the position and checking it in 100 miles, but now that I understand just how tight the damn thing is I will look at hiring a 3/4" torque wrench.
 
why you taking the hub nut off?

remove the 4 bolts at the back and take the hub shaft everything in one go. out a couple of inches at each side ...swap the diff and push the lot back in.
 
EeEk said:
why you taking the hub nut off?
remove the 4 bolts at the back and take the hub shaft everything in one go. out a couple of inches at each side ...swap the diff and push the lot back in.
Click to expand...
I didn't realise that was an option. How do you replace the O rings? Can you pull the shafts all the way out?
 
Si Click said:
My 1/2" torque wrench won't go anywhere near the 360 ft ibs required. I was planning on just tightening as much as possible, staking it, marking the position and checking it in 100 miles, but now that I understand just how tight the damn thing is I will look at hiring a 3/4" torque wrench.
Click to expand...
just get it tight with a bar a torque wrench isnt necessary for those
 
Si Click said:
I didn't realise that was an option. How do you replace the O rings? Can you pull the shafts all the way out?
Click to expand...

Yes.....the shaft wont come out until the hub and bearing are off anyway... ....just leave it all bolted together and pull the lot out.

Not that id bother with the o rings...if they are not split...a wee smear of silicon round the hub and fire it back in.
 
I'll give that a go tomorrow. Cheers.

How's Elgin BTW, I used to have a house on Moray Street back when I drove an S3 109 Safari.
 
Well, it's done. Thanks to everyone for the advice, especially EeEK who suggested leaving the hub nuts in place.
There were only two difficulties:
Firstly leaving the hub nut attached means that you cannot use a puller to get the hub off and the RHS needed some serious percussive persuasion.
Secondly in order to be able to swing the said persuader I needed to remove the heat shield and three of the crappy 8mm bolts sheared. I was able to remove one of them with some mole grips, but two will need to be drilled. In the meantime, each shield is held in place with two bolts - which does not seem to be an issue.
My thanks to my son for his assistance and for letting me use the Motor Club facilities at Brize Norton on his membership. So much easier on a lift than under axle stands on the front drive.
 
ok next tip....too late but never mind. use the bolts to hammer it out. Slacken the 4 hub retaining bolts maybe a few mm out and use a hammer to knock the bolts and the hub out...hit one bolt then the next bolt working round and round or at least diagonally to each other ....then screw the bolts a out a few mm more and do the same again until the hub comes out the axle :)

If that doesn't move them....a slide hammer on to the wheel studs,

Years of snapped/rusted/siezed bolts....and a bit of laziness....mean you never unbolt anything you don't have to :)
 
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